£300,000 bill to give free laptops to traveller children (whose parents use them to shop online)

More than a thousand gipsy and traveller children have been given laptop computers to help them with their schoolwork.

The free equipment and wireless internet access is estimated to be worth up to £750 per pupil, and is costing the taxpayer £300,000 a year.

Some children are also being handed printers and digital cameras under a controversial Government-backed scheme aimed at encouraging them to stay in education.

Children are being given laptops in a bid to encourage them to stay in education

Figures have revealed that free IT equipment has been handed to 1,317 pupils from gipsy and traveller families since 2004.

However, ministers have admitted that some of the laptops have been
used by parents to buy and sell goods, and book foreign holidays
online.

Last night, the Conservatives, who obtained the figures, warned that
the scheme risked fuelling resentment among taxpayers. Only days ago it
emerged that gipsy and traveller children are being given priority
admission to popular state schools.

In addition, gipsy and traveller families are getting priority to
see GPs and dentists.

The Electronic Learning and Mobility Programme
(E-LAMP) is designed to offer 'quality distance learning opportunities'
to gipsy and traveller children who regularly change schools and are on
the move throughout large parts of the school year.

Under the scheme, being run in 330 schools, the children are given
laptops with, for example, 3G wireless internet software, which enables
them to study while travelling and keep in touch with their 'base'
school.

There are an estimated one million children from around 350,000
gipsy and traveller families in the UK, but fewer than 9 per cent
obtain five good GCSEs including maths and English.

Studies have shown that children who relocate regularly quickly
become demotivated with learning and disengaged with their school
friends and school life. In addition, many traveller parents provide
little support for their children's academic learning, with a small
number believing that formal education offers little or no value to
their children's futures.

In a written Parliamentary answer, schools minister Jim Knight said
1,317 laptops were issued from 2004 to 2009. He said: 'The vast
majority are still out on loan to the students. There have only been
seven incidents of minor accidental damage. One laptop was sold by the
family, but recovered quickly as it had been tagged.'

A survey by the National Association of Teachers of Travellers has
found adult travellers are using their children's laptops to book
holidays, shop and sell goods online.

It said: 'Initially the restriction on data transfer allowed, due to
shared group tariff packages, caused issues when the students became
more confident workers and their parents discovered the joys of Amazon,
eBay and booking flights online.'

Tory local government spokesman Bob Neill said: 'However
well-meaning, I am concerned the Government's policies on travellers
threaten to undermine community cohesion and inflame community
tensions.

'The British people believe in fair play - it's not fair that one
small group get privileged access to public services, whilst
hard-working families who struggle to pay their bills and taxes are
pushed to the back of the queue.'